Government should have met with unions before dispensing with term limits, the Trade Union Congress said following a general meeting yesterday.The body’s new President, Alan Wilkinson, said the group was “concerned” by the absence of consultation when Home Affairs Minister Mike Fahy announced that the limits on work permits had been scrapped by the new Government.Mr Wilkinson also said the group felt there ought to be a greater union voice on the various Government boards.“The TUC represents over 20 percent of the workforce in Bermuda, and that should be reflected on the boards,” he pointed out.The group noted the appointment of Government MP Glenn Smith to head the Immigration Board, which some affiliates felt represents a conflict of interest.On the question of term limits and protecting Bermudian jobs, Mr Wilkinson said it was also incumbent on the Department of Immigration to be tough on local employers who break the rules.However, the group issued a statement of “displeasure” with what the unions saw as the Minister’s abrupt and one-sided axing of term limits.“We note that during the election campaign, the present government indicated the suspension with reference to term limits for two years, while in review,” the TUC statement said.“As recently as two weeks ago, the Minister indicated that term limits would receive lengthy discussion over the two-year period. As soon as two weeks later, it has already been decided.”Ultimately, Mr Wilkinson told The Royal Gazette, the Congress expected “consultation, rather than arbitrarily conducting the business of the day”.Mr Wilkinson assumed presidency of the union body last month. Wendell (Shine) Hayward previously headed the group, which has a rotating presidency.The contentious term limits issue continued to resound yesterday.A statement from One Bermuda Alliance deputy Chairman Michael Branco, which charged the Progressive Labour Party with imposing term limits in order to “pander to the xenophobic views of those Bermudians who would like Bermuda to be foreigner-free”, drew a sharp response from the PLP’s assistant central region organiser, Christopher Famous.Mr Famous charged Mr Branco with insulting PLP voters, and called upon him to retract the statement.